The Crawler's Nest
by Mho Mhuirnin
Summary: Crawler's Nest: Earthen depths, anxious adventurers, haphazard pastimes. A little mage begins to regret his choices for recruitment.


Hanto-Banto shook his head, murmuring. He'd been with a lot of adventurers, seen a lot of battles, but it was rare he came across someone who actually ENJOYED fighting. Not just the challenge of it, or even sharpening their skills... Just truly enjoyed fighting, killing. This Dark Knight they'd recruited must be half mad. At least they all had a short break from him after he announced he was off to find another beast...

The soft glow and gentle pulsations of the hanging egg sacks filled the air of the Crawler's Nest, air with a sharp chemical tang the little Taru couldn't quite place. He'd gone recruiting earlier in Jeuno upon hearing there were some crag-like structures deeper in the Nest, hoping to get a look at cermet structure that hadn't been picked over again and again by passing adventurers. He was hoping to learn something new, and he had. Not at all what he'd expected though, all he'd learned so far was that some men truly _are_ mentally unbalanced.

"Still gone," sighed the Paladin. "Don't know if I should be worried or happy. Did you see the grin on him that last fight? You'd swear he was a day at the chocobo races, not exterminating pests." The Galka sighed heavily, adjusting his weapon belt. "Think it's too late to turn back? That man worries me."

"Worrries YOU?" said the Mithran Thief, stepping in. "I was rrrunning around to the back to get at the thread spinnerrrs, you know how there's a weak point in the arrrmor there—" she started, cut off by a nod from Paladin. "Well, if I'd ducked a moment laterrr, it would have been my head rolling on the grrround! And all that psycho would say is 'My my, mind the backswing!' then laughed as if he'd just made the funniest joke in the worrrld!" She spit in disgust.

Hanto-Banto stood, brushing himself off. "It's too late to heady-weady back now. We've already made greataru progress, and our planny-wan is working. Lure them one at a timaru, work our way deeper and deeper. Even if he is... Off in the heady-wead, you can't deny he's strong."

The Thief groaned "I told you darrrk knights weren't worth the trrrouble! Get a rrranger I said, a dragoon, even a samurrrai… 'No,' you said, 'this one looks strongy-wong!'" she finished, mocking the Taru's rhyming lilt.

"Isn't he?" said the Elvaan man offhandedly, strolling back into the midst of the adventurers like a man taking a morning walk. He only grinned at the Mithra's indignant 'Hmph!' and reached for his canteen.

"Werrren't you supposed to be scouting for crrrawlers?" demanded the Thief hotly.

"Oh, yes. Crawlers." The dark knight waved dismissively. "Yes, come to think of it, I DID find one down there. It should be along any moment actually. Binding magics." Shrugging, he took another pull on his canteen and returned it to his belt.

Hanto-Banto jumped at a sudden skittering noise and turned just in time to see an enraged crawler bearing down on him, chittering in fury. He took an involuntary step back, mouth going dry as he struggled to remember a spell to call flames. He was saved the trouble by a meaty palm shoving him backwards, to safety. The Galkan Paladin leapt forward, bellowing a challenge and slamming his shield into the side of the insect's head to draw its attention. The crawler stopped mid-charge and turned to the steel-clad figure, not noticing a delighted chuckle and the rasp of a great sword being drawn.

The Elvaan rushed heedless into the melee, dragging his blade low along the ground before bringing it up diagonally, tearing a gouge out of the crawler's side and sending a fountain of ichor into the air. Hanto-Banto cursed silently as sticky fluid spattered on his robes and began to chant. Fire sprouted from the ground, burning the crawler to a crisp. The little Taru glared at the Elvaan.

"Whataru was THAT for! Show a little bit more restraintaru, or you'll get us all killy-spilled! And whataru was that with the spray? If I wanted to get splashed, I'd go play in a fountain-wountain!"

"Oh... Yes, yes. Terribly sorry about that. I only thought it fair to share a little bit of the fun. It must be awfully boring after all, only sitting in the back and wiggling your fingers. You don't appreciate a little excitement?" Sniggering, the Elvaan flashed a beatific smile and loaded a bolt into his crossbow. "I'll go off to find another. I'm rather glad I came, aren't you? This is turning out to be _quite_ interesting."

As the Elvaan strolled off, apparently without a care in the world, Hanto-Banto found himself wondering. Was he really insane? Not all Dark Knights were quite _that_ bad, he knew that for a fact... But at least he was right about one thing. This was turning out to be quite interesting. More interesting than this little mage had bargained for.


End file.
